Foldable grease gun



Aug. 22, 1933.

S. W. HARTLEY FOLDABLE GREASE GUN Filed June 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOK .4 Mme/v5 y on b 1933- s. w. HARTLEY FOLDABLE GREASE GUN FiledJune 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A TORNEY [w E m Q mm m mm Nm\ 6mm m+ Patented Aug. 22, 1933 FOLDABLE GREASE GUN Seward W. Hartley, NewYork, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Lubrication Corporation, South Bend, Ind., aCorporation Delaware Application June 14, 1929. Serial No. 370,770

19 Claims.

This invention has reference to the art of lubrication and particularlyrelates to a foldable grease gun or compressor of the high-pressure,booster type, such as described in the application of Clark W. Parker,filed March 2, 1929,

SerialNumber 343,952; and to certain details of construction whichenable the gun to be readily loaded, overcome a number of operationaldifficulties, andenable the gun to be dismantled and reassembled withfacility. Particular objects and advantages of my invention will benoted during the course of this description; and my inventive features,combinations and elements will be set forth in the claims.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provideddrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, central, sectional view showing details ofmy grease gun or compressor, the handle or manipulating means beingshown folded against the spout and the piston and its associated partsbeing in the position they would assume with the barrel full oflubricant, and before releasing the piston to apply pressure;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the'line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 with parts in elevation and partsbroken away because of limitations of the sheet, the piston and itsassociated parts being in the position they assume when the lubricant ispartially exhausted;

and Y V Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on 55 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the gun barrel orgrease shell, 2 the delivery spout or tube, 3 the plunger or boosterrod,and 4 the actuating handle or lever which is connected to thebooster-rod as hereinafter described, and which may be folded into closerelation with the gun as shown, Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The delivery spout 2 forms parts of what might be termed the main frameor casting 5, which has an annular part 6 provided with a flange 7. Thepart 6 and its flange 7 form a seat 8 for the delivery end of thebarrel. When it is desired to refill the barrel, it will be removed fromthis seat, as hereinafter described. A gasket 9 is interposed betweenthe end of the barrel and the seat 8, so as to insure against the escapeor leakage of the lubricant. The inner end of the main frame is providedwith another annular the line member 10 in the form of a ring throughwhich the inner end of the barrel passes. This ring has a flange 11which is internally threaded at 12, so as to cooperate with a nut 13which is in the form of a ring, and has a shoulder 14 which engages aclosure member 15 having a skirt 16 which fits into and is welded orotherwise secured to the end of the barrel. Web 17, forming part of theframe member 5, Figures 4 and 5, connects the annular parts 6 and 10,and extends part way about the barrel. This web acts as a protection forthe barrel, and is a strengthening means or reinforcement for the maincasting or frame, so that the frame may be made of light metal and yethave great rigidity.

The spout 2 has a bore 18 in which the booster 3 snugly fits. The outerend of the bore has a counterbored, threaded enlargement 19, tocooperate with a coupling member,--not shown. The passage 20, whichconnects the bore 18 with the chamber of the barrel is provided with acheckvalve, comprising the usual form of ball 21 normally pressedagainst a seat 22 in a threaded bushing 23, by a spring 24. Thecheck-valve acts .to prevent back pressure in the barrel 1, and leakageof the lubricant, if a thin lubricant were being used.

Novel means are provided for maintaining a constant pressure on thelubricant within the 35 barrel. The piston which forces the lubricantfrom the barrel comprises a cup washer 25, which is secured on athreaded, turned-down portion 26, of a rod 27, by means of a nut 28. Thecup washer 25 is locked on one side by a disk 29 and on the other by askirted piston guide member 30. A strong spring 31 is interposed betweenthe piston guide member 30 and a disk 32, which bears against aflattened part 33 of the closure member 15. Thus the spring 31 willnormally 9 tend to force the piston against the body of the lubricantwithin the barrel 1, and cause it to be constantly and automatically fedinto the delivery spout through the valve 21. The rod 27 has an enlargedhead 34 which fits into a socket 35 in the closure member 15. The head34 has an annular. groove or turned down portion 36 which is engaged bythe head 3'7 of a stud 38 when it is desired to lock the piston in itswithdrawn position. The head 37 is forced into engagement with thegroove 36 by a spring 39, and may be withdrawn from the groove by anurled handle 40. The end of the head34, beyond the groove 36,- istapered at 41 so that it will cam the head '37 of the stud 38 out of theno way when the head 34 is being extended or entered into the socket 35.

The disk or spring seat 32 is provided with an annular, central openingand a sleeve 42 forming one member of a telescoping connection for thepiston, passes through this opening and has a flange43 overlapping and.contacting with the disk 32 on the side opposite the spring; Theopposite end of the sleeve 42 is provided with an inturned flange 44,which may engage an outturned flange 45 on an intermediate, telescopingsleeve 46 when the latter is in its extended position. The sleeve 46 hasan inturned'flange 47 on its opposite end for engagement with anoutturned flange 48 on an inner telescoping member 49, which surroundsthe stud 27 and has an inturned flange 50 which engages the enlargedhead 34 of the stud 27 when the latter is shifted by the spring 31, asshown in Figure 4. I desire to lay stress on this telescopic plunger rodas an important feature of my invention. I

The closure 15 has a bifurcated extension 51 to which the handle 4 ispivoted by pin 52, which is slidably mounted in a boss 53 formedintegral with one of the ears of the extension 51. The pivot pin isnormally held in its operative position'by a spring 54,-Figure -2,,andby a nurled head 55 secured'on its outer end, may be withdrawn so as todisconnect the handle when it is, desired to remove the barrel 1. Theouter end of the booster rod 3 has secured to it a head 56 having a slot57. A pin 58 passes through this slot, and suitable openings in thehandle 4.- It will thus be apparent when the handle 4 is pulled awayfrom the gun, the pin and slot connection will withdraw the booster rod.The

- to which a suitable tool may be applied when removing or replacing thesame.

When it is desired to remove the barrel for filling purposes, the nut 13is removed from the ring 11. The nurled knob 55 is grasped and pulledoutwardly, thus disconnecting the handle 4 from the bifurcatedextension51. The handle 4 and booster rod are then pulled outslightlyand about 90 on the booster rod as an axis. The nut 13 may thenbe removed and the barrel, with its closure 15 and piston and associatedparts, is withdrawn from its seat 8 and slipped through the ring 10. Thebarrel is then plunged into the container of lubricant, and the latterentering the barrel will force the piston back and collapse thetelescopic connection and compress the spring 31 until the parts assumethe position shown in Figure 1, with the head 3'7 of the pin 38 engagingthe groove 36 of the stud 27. If desired, the piston may be forcedbackwardly and locked in its retracted position before filling thebarrel with lubricant, and

- the barrel then filled in any desired manner.

The refilled barrel is then slipped back through the ring 10 to its'seat8. The nut 13 is secured in place and the handle 4 again connected tothe extension 51 by pin 52. After releasing the head 37 from the groovein stud 27, the gun is again ready for operation. Herein I desire to laystress upon the means connecting the booster handle with the barrel, sothat the: latter may be quickly and easily removed for filling the same;upon the large barrel for holding the grease and the comparatively smalldelivery spout and booster, enabling very high pressure to be attained;upon the particular manipulating means which may be folded against thespout and frictionally held in that position without detaching saidmanipulating means from'the booster; u-pon the means of the automaticlocking means for the telescopic piston rod which also holds the springcompressed; and upon other details of improvement set out in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A lubricant gun comprising a supporting frame, a removable lubricantholding barrel, a delivery spout having a passage therethrough and tothe barrel, a booster working in said passage, an operating lever forthe booster mounted on the barrel, and means whereby the connectionbetween the lever and the barrel can be broken when the barrel is to beremoved for filling.

2. A lubricant gun comprising a cylindrical barrel open'at both ends, aframe having a re cess with an outlet in which one end of the barrel isreceived, a ring carried by the frame through which the other end of thebarrel is extended, a closure mounted on the latter end of the barrel,and means between the closure and the ring for holding the barrel on theframe.

3. A lubricant gun having a frame composed of a U shaped web having abarrel supporting member at one end and a ring at the other end throughwhich the barrel may pass, said frame being extended as a delivery spoutthe bore in which extends parallel withthe said web, and a (valvedpassage extending through the frame at an angle to the spout andcommunicating with the bore of the latter.

4. In combination with the supporting frame of a lubricant gun, a barrelmounted in the frame atone end, and means for locking the barrel in theframe comprising a circular member at the other end of the frame, afixed head carried by the barrel, at the latter end of the frame, and alocking'nut removably engaging the said frame member and the said fixedhead.

5. A lubricating gun comprising a large cylindrical open end barrel, aframe having a seat for the barrel at one end and a ring at the otherend in which the barrel is held, means including a closure for lockingthe barrel and frame removably together, a comparatively small deliveryspout carried by the frame having a passage therethrough and connectingwith said seat, and a booster mounted in the frame and working in saidpassage including means mounted on the barrel for actuating the booster.

6. A lubricant gun having a supporting frame provided with a recess atone end merging into a valved outlet, a lubricant carrying barrel,forming the body of the gun and open at one end, removably mounted inthe recess of the frame, and means at the other end of the barrellocking the barrel in the frame.

7-. A' lubricant gun comprising a supporting frame having a circularflange at one end and a passage therefrom, a barrel open at one end fortightly engaging said flange, a removable closure for the opposite endof the barrel, and means between the frame, the barrel and the closurefor holding the barrel in place.

8. A lubricating gun comprising, a supporting frame, a lubricant supplybarrel open at its forward end, a piston in said barrel, pistonoperating means for urging said piston forwardly in said barrel, saidframe having a recess therein for receiving the open forward end of saidbarrel and being further provided with a lubricant passage through whichlubricant from the barrel may be conducted away from said recess, andmeans associated with the rearward end of said barrel and with saidframe for applying a forward thrust to said barrel to cause a lubricanttight seal between the open end of the barrel and the recessed portionof said frame.

9. A lubricating gun comprising, a supporting frame, a lubricant pumpmounted on said frame, a lubricant supply barrel open at its forwardend, said frame having a recess therein for receiving the open forwardend of said barrel and being furuther provided with a lubricant passagethrough which lubricant from the barrel may be conducted away from saidrecess to said pump, and means associated with the rearward end of saidbarrel and with said frame for applying a forward thrust to said barrelto cause a lubricant tight seal between the open end of the barrel andthe recessed portion of said frame.

10. A lubricating gun comprising, a supporting frame, a lubricant pumphaving a piston mounted on said frame, a lubricant supply barrel open atits forward end, said frame having a recess therein for receiving theopen forward end of said barrel and being further provided with alubricant passage through which lubricant from the barrel may beconducted away from said recess to said pump, and means associated withthe rearward end of said barrel and with said frame for applying aforward thrust to said barrel to cause a lubricant tight seal betweenthe open end of the barrel and the recessed portion of said frame, saidpump being disposed with its axis parallel to the axis of said barrel.

11. In combination with the barrel of a lubricant gun, a closure 'forone end of the barrel, a piston having a sectional contractibletelescopic rod mounted in the barrel, a spring between the piston andclosure, and means for locking the rod and closure together when the rodsections are contracted, whereby the closure, rod, piston and spring canbe removed from the barrel as a unit.

12. A lubricant gun having a lubricant holding barrel, in combinationwith a pressure-creat ing piston operating in said barrel, said pistonbeing connected to a rod composed of a plurality of shorttubulartelescopic sections, a supporting rod on which said sections aremounted, and means for securing said supporting rod centrally in oneendof the barrel.

13. A lubricant gun having a lubricant holding barrel, in combinationwith a pressure creating piston operating in said barrel, said piston,being connected to a rod composed of a plurality of short tubulartelescopic sections, a slrort supporting rod for the tubular sections,means for releasably'securing said supporting rod in the barrel, andexpansible means surrounding the tubular sections for shifting thepiston in the barrel, whereby the piston, its rod and shifting means maybe assembled in one end of the barrel.

14. In a lubricating gun, a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder,a compression spring for urging said piston along the axis of thecylinder, and a plurality of telescopically arranged members disposedsubstantially concentric with the axis of said spring, the outermost ofsaid members being under the influence of said spring tending to extendthe telescopic arrangement of the members, said cylinder having anopening through one end thereof through which one of said telescopicmembers may extend.

15. A lubricating gun comprising, a body assembly, a lubricant pumpcarried by said body assembly, a barrel providing a source of lubricantsupply, said body assembly providing a space for receiving the barrel,the walls of said assembly, defining said space, surrounding at leastthe inner and outer ends of the barrel, said barrel having an opening atits inner end, said body assembly having a lubricant conductingpassageway communicating at one end with said pump, means at theopposite end of said passageway so fashioned as to'conform to and tocontact with the walls of said barrel adjacent to said barrel opening toform a sealing contact therewith, and means associated with the bodyassembly and with the barrel for drawing said barrel against saidsealing means in a direction parallel to the axis of the barrel formaintaining lubricant-tight relationship between said barrel and saidlubricant conducting passageway, the last said means being effective atplaces spaced from said sealing means.

16. A lubricating gun comprising, a body assembly, a lubricant pumpcarriedby said body assembly, a barrel providing a source of lubricantsupply, said body assembly providing a space for receiving the barrel,the walls of said assembly, defining said space, surrounding at leastthe inner and outer ends of the barrel, said barrel having an opening atits inner end, said body assembly having a lubricant conductingpassageway communicating at one end with said pump, means at theopposite end of said passageway so fashioned as to conform to and tocontact with the walls of said barrel adjacent'to said barrel openingtoform a sealing contact therewith, means associated with the bodyassembly and with the barrel for drawing adapted to bear upon thelubricant content thereof, a plurality of members telescopicallyarrangedin series'at the rearward side of the piston, a compressionspring urging said piston inwardly of the barrel and limited in itsextendability by said telescopically arranged members, and means forholding said members and said spring in operative position relative tothe barrel.

' 18. A lubricant gun having a lubricant holding causing said rodyieldingly to extend, a supporting member to which said telescopic rodis secured, and means for securing said supporting.

7 member centrally of one end of said barrel.

19. In a lubricant feeding device, a cylindrical lubricant reservoir, apiston in said reservoir adapted to bear upon the lubricant contentthereof, a compression spring for urging said piston inwardly of saidreservoir and a plurality of telescopically arranged members cooperatingwith said piston and said spring for limiting the extendability of saidspring and for maintaining the piston and spring in unitary assembly.

SEWARD W. HARTLEY.

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